Collapsible trunk



Aug. 4, 1953 (E. LUTzELscHwAB COLLAPSIBLE TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 50, 1948 Aug. 4, 1953 Filed April 50, 1948 E. LTZELSCHWAB COLLAPSIBLE TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 4, 1953 UNITED i STATES PATENT oFFicE 2,647,594 f y .ooLLAPsIBLE 'TRUNK Ernst Ltzelschwab, Basel,` Switzerland U Application April 30, 1948, Serial No. 24,343

` (ci. 19o-2) 2 Claims.

` The present invention `relates to a collapsible trunk consisting of two main parts which can be used in conjunction with a notched intermediate extension piece to form a bed.

rOne example of execution of the subject matter ofthe invention is diagrammatically illustrated in the :accompanying drawing in which: .`Fig. 1 shows, in longitudinal section, the trunk arranged as bed or resting place,

Fig. 2 the same in plan, Fig. 3 a middle part of the bed in perspective, Fig. 4 a cross-section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4a shows a detail of construction, Fig. 5 the trunk closed, ready for a journey, Fig. 5a an intermediate member insertable in the trunk.

Fig. 6 the trunkused as suspended bed or stretcher,

Fig. 7 a part of the trunk with bed-sheet hung in with springs,

Fig. 8 one-half of the trunk arranged for hanging up clothes init,

Fig. 9a a part of the trunk with protecting roof and bench seat.

Fig. 9 detail of the arrangement according to Fig. 9a.

Fig. 10 a perspective view of the bench seat, Fig. 11 shows a trunk mounted on two wheels, Fig. 12 is a cross-section of the Wheeled trunk, and

Fig. 13 illustrates a portable trunk. The trunk has two trough-shaped main parts I and 2. Each of these has a wall, 3l and 4, forming the ends of the trunk. One or both of these end Walls can be pushed in and drawn out and used as bench seat 24 with foldab-le feet 25 as shown in connection with a differently dimensioned end Wall in Fig. l0. When the trunk is arranged as a bed, a well-fitting intermediate piece 5, shaped like a trough and formed with four notched corners lies between the open ends of the main parts I and 2 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Stiffening ribs 6 are provided on the outer side of the main parts I and 2. Along meeting edges of the sidewalls of the trunk part I, grooved rails 'I are provided for mating engagement with tongues formed on rails B and extending along meeting edges of the sidewalls of the part 2, when the parts assume a trunk-forming position. The trunk part I has also a handle I0. The two main parts I and 2 may be locked or closed together for travelling. The end walls 3, 4 have eyes II, I2 into which Withdrawable rods I3, I4 can be 2 inserted, these rods serving also to support a tent roof I5 (Fig. 4). Crossbars I5 for-taking clothes hangers may too be provided on the 'vertical bars I3, I4 at a convenient height. Fur'- ther, on the crossbar I5 also an extensible lengthening piece I5" can be provided inorder to get the tent roof to project more to the front (Fig. 9a). As shown in Fig. 9a, the rods I3, I4 could be stuck into iron posts 26, driven into the ground, instead of into the eyes II, I2, which are omitted from la modified end4 wall 4.

The connecting of the parts I, Zand 43, 4 can be secured by means of catches,4 hooks, etc. The parts I and 2 may also be coupled together direct, without the intermediate piece 5, for instance for use as a childs bed (Fig. 7) the resting place is thus variable in length.

Eyes I6 are provided on the sides of the main parts of the trunk and serve to take spring supporting members I1. Carrying poles I8 could be stuck through the ends of these springs in order to be able to use the trunk-bed as a stretcher (Fig. 6). According to Fig. 7 these eyes IE and springs I'I also serve for supporting a bedspring I9.

The main parts, when stood vertical, may also be used yfor hanging up clothes. Through the eyes II, I2, a short bar 22 is pushed, and on it clothes hangers 23 may be set. In this position the trunk parts are preferably closed by means of cloths or curtains.

The dimensions of all accessories are chosen so that they can be placed inside the trunk when travelling. The eyes I6 also serve as clothes-holding straps when the trunk is closed. The trunk may be made of pressed sheets, fiber or light metal in order to keep its Weight as low as possible, and it may be painted with a special protective paint to prevent damage.

Instead of only one intermediate piece 5 several of them might be provided, and the main parts I, 2 could then possibly be made shorter. The intermediate pieces may also be moulded and shaped in such a way that they can be adopted as parts of the wall of the trunk when it is made ready for travelling.

In Figs. 12 and 13 each side Wall of a trunk 30 is provided with a bore near the bottom 3I thereof. An axle 32 is placed through the bores so as to project beyond the side walls, each projecting end carrying a wheel 33'. To push the cart thus formed, a rod 34 is placed into a tubular pipe 35 mounted inside the trunk along the center line of the wall 3U and accessible through a front wall 36.

The device may be reconverted from `a cart to a trunk by displacing the wheels 33 from the axle 32 and by placing the parts 32, 33 inside the trunk and by pushing the rod 34 into the trunk.

Fig. 13 shows a trunk which may be carried on ones back. In the top wall 42 of the trunk 40, a slot 4I retains a small piece of wood to which two pliable straps 44 are xed. The lower end of said straps 44 are attached to a rod 45 extending transversely through the lower end of the trunk 40.

What I wish to secure by U. S. A. Letters Patent is:

1. A collapsible trunk comprising two trough shaped main parts, the side wall meeting edges of one of said parts being provided with rails having tongues and the side wall meeting edges of the other of said parts being provided with rails having complementary grooves, said main parts, by mating engagement of said tongue and groove rails being interfittable when used as a trunk, said main parts being separable and capable of being aligned, in which position they are useable as a bed, at least one trough shaped intermediate piece insertable between said main parts and being relatively slidable therewithin for longitudinal adjustment of said main parts, the upturned sides of said intermediate piece having notched corners which engage under and between the ends of said rails, when said parts are aligned and spaced apart, so as to increase the length of the structure a distance equal to the distance between said corner notches, 'a plurality of rods, and a plurality of brackets on said main parts for receiving said rods, said rods serving as supporting rods and clothes hanger rods, when received in said brackets.

2. A collapsible trunk according to claim 1, including opposite end walls for each of said trough shaped main parts, at least one of said end Walls being removable from each section.

ERNST LTZEL'SCHWAB.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 772,966 Shade et a1 Oct. 25, 1904 854,602 Peterson May 21, 1907 981,726 Waters Jan. 17, 1911 1,028,178 Batchelor June 4, 1912 1,057,723 Gordon Aet al. Apr. 1,1913 1,619,353 McDonald l Mar. 1 1927 1,893,752 .Deen Jan. 1.0, 1933 2,071,644 McBra'dy f Feb. 23, 1937 FGREI'GN PATENTS Number g Country Date i 1,959 Great Britain June 29 1869 220,451 Germany Apr. 2, 1'910 270,343 Germany Feb. 13 1914 l(32,521,382 .France Apr. .'23, 1'927 846,065 France v May '27 '1939 194,907 Switzerland Apr. 1, 1938 

